'It's a tragedy': Teen boys who drowned in Swan River mourned by family, friends

By Hannah Barry & Phil Hickey

12 September 2018 — 8:48am

The father of one of two teenage boys who drowned in Perth's Swan River as they tried to escape police on Monday night has asked people not to judge his son harshly.

Trisjack Simpson, 17, and Christopher Drage, died as they tried to cross the river in the inner-city suburb of Maylands as they fled from officers chasing them, after a group of five boys were allegedly seen jumping fences at a local bowling club.

At least three of the boys dived into the water in temperatures under 11 degrees as police stood on the banks. One was captured, but Trisjack and Christopher were further away. A fifth boy, who was missing for several hours, was located safely on Monday afternoon.

“They made a fatal decision to jump in the river,” Christopher Drage’s father, also named Christopher, told 9 News Perth on Wednesday.

“They made a mistake. They were young boys.

“I ask people not to be judgmental. We all made silly mistakes as kids. They lost their lives.”

Trisjack Simpson's grandfather said the boys had made a terrible mistake and refused to blame the officers involved.

"It's bad circumstances that this has happened, but I would love the wider community to respect that this was just a mistake," he said earlier today.

"He was a beautiful young man."

A nearby resident captured the teens' deperate river escape on his mobile phone, and told 9 News Perth he saw officers following the boys into the water.

“I heard the cop sirens around the corner," he said.

“By the time they got to about two-thirds of the way the kid was already under water.

"The one that they were going for and they were sort of looking around talking to each other trying to figure out where he’s gone under.”

Trisjack Simpson has been remembered as a loved friend and brother, and a talented athlete.

He represented Mullewa Football Club in the Great Northern Football League and was living in Perth with family.

Sheldon Hayward, a friend of Trisjack Simpson, said he was a "really loved person".

"It just really hit my heart straight away because he is just a really liked person and no one has anything bad to say about the kid," he said.

Tributes have also emerged on social media for Christopher Drage, with his girlfriend saying "always and forever in my heart my one and only. Be in harmony."

But the circumstances of the teenagers' deaths have sparked calls for an inquiry.

“The boys would have been in absolute terror, frightened, and hitting the river and being in more trouble and frightened and I couldn't think of anything worse," Dennis Eggington from the Aboriginal Legal Service said.

Police Comissioner Chris Dawson said the deaths of the two boys were being treated as deaths in police presence.

"This again is nothing short of a tragedy that has taken two young boys' lives," he said.

Mr Dawson said the boys who had been plucked from the river had not been charged with any offences.

The National Indigenous Critical Response Service has provided support to the families of the two drowned teenagers, and support is also being provided to relatives.

WA police officers from the major crime division and the internal affairs unit were involved in the investigation.